Lionel Richie

Singer Lionel Richie is photographed at Milk Studios in New York in 2006. Four decades after starting his meteoric rise to superstardom, and long after many of his contemporaries' stars have burned out, Richie's star still shines, with a warm glow.

Credit: AP

The Commodores

Lionel Richie was an original member of The Commodores, who met at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute in 1968. They became the leading R&B/pop/funk group of the late 1970s/early '80s known for "Brick House," "Say Yeah" and "Too Hot Ta Trot." Richie played sax, and was lead vocalist on such hits as "Easy" and "Three Times a Lady."

Credit: Motown

Stevie And Lionel

Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie share a laugh following presentation of their awards at the ninth annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles, January 25, 1982. Richie and Diana Ross shared the Favorite Single Award in both the pop-rock and soul categories for their performance of "Endless Love."

Credit: AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac

Emerald Isle

Lionel Richie plays to a sell-out crowd at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, March, 16, 2009. Richie's songs (including "Endless Love," "Truly," "All Night Long," and Hello") held the number one spot on the Billboard chart every year from 1978 to 1986.

Credit: AP

San Remo

Richie performs during the Festival di Sanremo song contest in San Remo, Italy, March 6, 2004. His career honors include five Grammys, 18 American Music Awards, an Academy Award (for "Say You, Say Me," from the film "White Nights"), a Golden Globe, and five People's Choice Awards.

Credit: AP

Heartfelt

Critics may not always have been kind, but even as R&B had been eclipsed by hard rock or rap, Richie's heartfelt ballads, like "Three Times A Lady," have attracted a new generation of fans. "The biggest gangsta rappers in the world, the biggest heavy metal guys, sooner or later they're going to say, 'I love you' to somebody," Richie said.

Credit: Island Records

"Just Go"

Richie's latest album, "Just Go" (his first studio album in two years), is a collaboration with such artists as Akon, Johnta Austin, Taj Jackson, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Ne-Yo, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Stargate.

Credit: Island Records

Father And Daughter

Richie says he warned his adopted daughter, Nicole Richie (best known for her reality TV show "The Simple Life") about becoming tabloid fodder: "When you say you want to be famous, what comes with that is the survival of it. Famous looks simple, but it consumes you." He says with the birth of his granddaughter, Harlow, "She got it in balance."

Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Brad Barket

Davos

Richie takes part in a discussion over lunch on the world of artists during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 27, 2005.

Credit: AP

Nobel Peace Prize Concert

"V"

Richie poses with Sharon Stone as she flashes the victory sign at a press conference before the annual Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway Monday, Dec. 11, 2006. Stone was a co-host of the concert.

Credit: AP Photo/John McConnico

Cannes

Richie attends the 2007 NRJ Music Awards held at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France on January 20, 2007.

Credit: GETTY

TV Land Awards

Richie performs on stage at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Credit: AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian

3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Richie performs during the New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008.

Credit: AP

Grammy Party

Singer Lionel Richie poses on the press line at the Island Def Jam Grammy party in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Credit: AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Berlin

Richie reacts as he holds his Echo award during the Echo 2009 music award ceremony in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.